Sharbot Lake Seniors Fair focuses on prevention, health and fun

May 12, 2011

Photo: Some of the professionals at the Sharbot Lake seniors’ fair: l-r, April McCann, Jennifer Allan, Bonnie Peacock, Nancy Willis, Laurie Watson, Rae Gateley and June Hickman

With the theme of “Living Life to its Fullest” the second annual Sharbot Lake Region Seniors’ Fair, held at St. James Major Church on May 9, attracted many seniors in the community looking for new ways of doing just that.

Opening the fair with an interactive presentation on the topic of falls prevention and staying fit was physiotherapist Sarah Emory, who works with Kingston Limestone Health. She focused on how seniors can improve their mobility and overall fitness with a number of exercises and tests and had visitors actively exploring their own abilities. Other presenters in the day’s line up included Carol Belanger's yoga, Qi Gong and exercise demonstrations, and Bonnie Peacock of Osteoporosis Canada, who spoke about prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. The hall was lined with numerous booth displays staffed by local professionals offering various types of services and advice to seniors on a number of health-related topics. Included were the Northern Connections Adult Learning Centre, which offers beginner computer classes; Fit Plus Gym, which is offering a seniors’ exercise class; Walk Well Shoes, with information on proper foot wear and custom made inserts; and dietician Jennifer Allan of the Sharbot Lake Family Health Team (SLFHT) offering advice on healthy eating options and recipes for seniors. Rita Fairweather, a registered nurse and diabetes educator with the SLFHT, was offering advice on pre-diabetes and diabetes, its prevention, symptoms and treatment. Also present was Bob Fisher of the Sharbot Lake branch of the KFL&A's Alzheimer's Society, offering information about education, diagnosis and support for various types of dementia. Representatives from the Canadian Diabetes Association and KFL &A's Falls Prevention Program were also represented.

Jennifer Allan, one of the organizers, said that the fair’s main goal was to connect seniors in the community with service providers in the area. “It's like a one-stop shopping event for seniors looking for services in the area. We felt that having all of the service providers under a single roof at the same time would make a lot of sense for seniors and increase their awareness of the existing services in the area while also promoting the development of personal relationships between providers and their potential clients.”

The fair was not all facts, figures and advice. Visitors were also treated to a number of door prizes donated by area businesses, a special lunch courtesy of W.A . Robinson and Associates, and the joyful harmonies of the Arden Glee Club. “If the visitors come away having acquired just one piece of information that will help them improve their quality of life and overall health, then we can all rest assured that we have done our job today”, Jennifer said.